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Good morning, Northwest.

Hemp growers in Oregon are urging Congress to revise new regulations they say could sink their businesses.

OPB food and agriculture reporter Alejandro Figueroa reports on how language in a bill to end a government shutdown last year could have consequences for the hemp industry. That story starts today’s newsletter.

Also this morning, “Oregon Art Beat” highlights the surprising and dynamic forms made by two Southern Oregon artists.

Here’s your First Look at Monday’s news.

— Bradley W. Parks

Top story

As federal changes loom, Oregon hemp farmers brace for an uncertain future

Eric Crawford compares being in the hemp business to Disney’s Space Mountain.

“You’re always in the dark, and there’s a lot of ups and downs,” he said.

And right now this industry is staring down a dark abyss.

A new federal government measure that takes effect on Dec. 11 could knock almost all hemp-derived products — and the farmers who grow hemp for its cannabidiol, or CBD — out of the market nationwide. (Alejandro Figueroa)

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3 things to know

• Nicole Ybarrondo’s two children were inside Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend on the day of a deadly school shooting. She has launched a fund for survivors. (Casey Frizzell)
• An educator who survived the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School has released her first public statement. Miah Hergert, an inclusion educational assistant, was with students in the classroom when the shooting occurred, according to the Bend-La Pine Schools. (Casey Frizzell)
• The University of Oregon’s graduate employees union has declared an intent to strike if it doesn’t reach a deal on a new contract by Nov. 16. The union represents around 1,200 student employees. (Nathan Wilk, KLCC)

Meet the Oregonian who created the first Black queer superheroes

In this episode, we dive into the story of Rupert Kinnard, a trailblazer who amplified queer Black voices in his art — and saw comics as a way to create change. (Mía Estrada and Steven Tonthat)

Listen Here

Northwest headlines

• Tongan pride parades through streets of Portland for national rugby league team (Jireh Deng)
• What wild bees can tell habitat restoration crews on the Klamath River (Juliet Grable, JPR)
• Oregon missing unified data collection, complaint process for farmworkers, report says (Shaanth Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle)
• Effort to rename Hood Canal hits a fjordblock amid tribal opposition (John Ryan, KUOW)
• Seattle’s Elliott Bay Book Company celebrates 50 years with Rick Simonson (Katie Campbell, KUOW)
• Thorns ousted from NWSL playoffs after 4-1 loss to Spirit (AP)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• Portland musicians create songs inspired by ‘Wildwood’ movie on new album
• Portland State University study reveals attitudes around living with beavers in urban areas

One more look

How 2 Southern Oregon artists coax surprising forms from wood and wool

In her studio with sweeping views of Ashland, Kristy Kún stands before a large sheet of felt that she has run through the ringer.

She shapes the starched textile slowly, coaxing curves, hills and valleys into the fabric before building architecture underneath to support it. She transforms the textile into something that hovers between sculpture and landscape.

Just beyond her studio, her husband, wood sculptor Christian Burchard, begins his morning milking their goats while singing deep Tuvan throat songs. He tends to the goats and makes cheese before he enters his studio.

Both Burchard and Kún have exhibited work and garnered commissions internationally. When the two collaborate, the combination of wool and wood is stunning. (Geneva Chin)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/11/09/hemp-farm-cbd-oregon-regulation-first-look/